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OTRR Life with Luigi Singles

by: Old Time Radio Researchers

Topics: OTRR Life with Luigi
Item Size: 3.4G

Episodes from the OTRR Maintained set of Life with Luigi:

LIFE WITH LUIGI

Ryan Ellett

In early 1948 writer Cy Howard was fresh of the success of his first network hit, My Friend Irma, that had debuted on CBS the year before in 1947. It was quickly working its way to the top 20 ratings when Howard approached the network with a follow up program. The new series, tentatively titled the Little Immigrant, followed the exploits of a newcomer from Italy, Luigi Basco, who was making a new life for himself in Chicago.

Early in the development of the series General Foods was already expressing interest in signing on as sponsor. Hy Kraft was chosen to develop the scripts for each episode based on Howard’s general ideas that originally envisioned the program as more of a drama than a comedy. In one interview Howard described it as a “comedy-documentary.” His second effort was clearly not going to be the same light-hearted affair the zany Irma often focused upon. By June 1948 J. Carrol Naish was signed for the lead role of Luigi.

Howard shared his vision for the series in various press opportunities. He intended it to include two orchestras; not just the standard large studio orchestra but a smaller three-piece Neapolitan outfit as well. He wanted to avoid a “booming” opening theme song and envisioned the microphone panning over Naish’s character as he went about his business in the fictional Little Italy Chicago neighborhood. Howard’s term for this production effect was “comedy in narration,” a technique that had proved successful with My Friend Irma.

The portrayal of racial and ethnic minorities was more heavily scrutinized by the late 1940s than even before World War II. Howard deliberately chose not to set the program in New York and intentionally gave Luigi the non-stereotypical job owning an antique store, avoiding traditional jobs such as organ grinder or fruit vendor. Howard also spent several weeks the summer of 1948 in Italy researching the show (at the network’s expense, of course).

Young & Rubicam, the agency that handled Howard’s previous work My Friend Irma for Lever Bros. was not happy that CBS was letting him run with a second show. Even though Howard was not going to have chief writing responsibilities, they were afraid it would split his attention and diminish the quality of Irma.

In September 1948 CBS inked Cy Howard to a fresh five-year deal to continue developing new programs for the network. The Little Immigrant was just one of a rash of 22 shows created in-house and packaged by CBS West Coast under the watchful eye of Harry Ackerman. Fifteen of these 22 programs found sponsors. Among this batch of shows included such collector favorites as My Friend Irma, My Favorite Husband, Mr. Ace & Jane, Our Miss Brooks, and The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.

Life with Luigi was part of CBS’ powerhouse Sunday night lineup that included The Jack Benny Show, Amos ‘n’ Andy, The Adventures of Sam Spade, Electric Theatre with Helen Hayes, Our Miss Brooks, and Lum ‘n’ Abner. Life with Luigi, which had initially attracted the attention of General Foods, went on the air as a sustained series. Just a few months after its September 21, 1948, debut it was only pulling a 8.6 Hooper against ABC’s Stop the Music that earned a powerful 22.3.

In late January Life with Luigi switched time slots with the later Lum ‘n’ Abner at the behest of sponsor General Motors to get the hillbilly comedians in a more friendly time slot. Not long afterward in February 1949 it was announced that Hy Kraft was leaving his writing responsibilities. In March Howard turned over directing duties to Mac Benoff who had also taken over as head writer after Kraft’s departure. As writer and director for most of the program’s run, Life with Luigi was very much a product of Benoff’s talents.

After failing to find a sponsor during its first year on the air despite so much initial excitement, talk in the trade magazines during the summer of 1949 was that Life with Luigi would soon be cancelled. Further effort would instead be put toward transitioning the program to television. Just a month later in July, however, the show was given a reprieve by CBS and returned to the 8:30 Sunday night slot after General Motors dropped sponsorship of Lum ‘n’ Abner.

Finally, sixteen months after its premier, the William Wrigley Jr. Co. signed on as sponsor for Life with Luigi in November 1949 via their agency, Arthur Meyerhoff & Co. Both of these companies, incidentally, were based in Chicago, the setting for Life with Luigi. Wrigley’s sponsorship began January 10 with the show placed on Thursday evenings at 9:00. The new spot placed it against The Bob Hope Show which was hardly less competition than their previous time spot opposite Fibber McGee and Molly.

Luigi performed admirably in the new time, earning a 12.9 Hooper to Bob Hope’s 16.8 and Cy Howard soon found himself in the enviable position of having two programs in the top 20. Just a few months later Luigi was topping Hope who had fallen out of the top 20 Nielsen ratings altogether. The first 13-week contract cost Wrigley $5,000 per week (compared to the $3,500 sustaining costs to CBS) with an increase to $6,000 if Wrigley renewed after the first period. Luigi’s economical cost made the ratings victory over Bob Hope and his $25,000 budget all the sweeter. This also led to renewed movement on a Luigi television series.

When signing with CBS Cy Howard made sure his contract had a profit-sharing component that, with two hit shows, it is estimated his income was above that of most of the network’s executives.

In March 1952 Wrigley hinted it was cancelling its sponsorship of Luigi after the current 13-week period ended on April 1. CBS planned to continue it on a sustaining for a while in hopes of landing another sponsor. Wrigley shelved their cancellation plans, however, even though costs had risen to $7,500 per week. Plans were under way in early 1952 to bring the Luigi show to television with the same cast and with Mac Benoff as writer/producer. General Foods signed on as sponsor for the 1952-53 television season at $25,500 per episode and it was scheduled right after the top-rated I Love Lucy.

The radio version of Life with Luigi continued until 1953 when it suddenly left the air either after the March 17 or March 24 broadcast. The show disappeared without any fanfare but the historical record suggests it was due to writer/director Mac Benoff’s appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee to answer accusations about Communist affiliations. A few test episodes were recorded in May, 1954, to attempt turning Life with Luigi into a fifteen-minute daily show. Ultimately, the taint of Benoff’s suspect associations, the increased scrutiny of shows that seemed to perpetuate ethnic stereotypes, and J. Carrol Nash’s loss of interest in continuing his role, spelled the end of Life with Luigi, both on radio and television.

OTRR Release Information:

Series Name: Life with Luigi
Release Status: OTRR Maintained
Release Date: August 8, 2020
Release Version: Version 2008
Number of DVDs: 1

From the Old Time Radio Researchers Group (OTRR). See "Notes" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

Notes

OLD TIME RADIO RESEARCHERS GROUP

This is a production of the Old Time Radio Researchers (OTRR) Group located at Old Time Radio Researchers Website (www.otrr.org), Old Time Radio Researchers Facebook Group, and Old Time Radio Researchers Group.